Sunday, 19 October 2014

I'm becoming obsessed with exploring this asana, Krishnamacharya talks of staying from 12 to 48 breaths and introducing both types of kumbhaka (so holding the breath in after inhalation and out after exhalation). At first, the position of the arm reaching around to hold the foot seems to stop the blood, it takes some settling into the posture for the blood to flow. The nature of the posture, the twist and double bind both in front and behind challenges the breath, the kumbhaka, it's fascinating, feels quite profound. I intended to stay for 24 breaths but lost count and it's probably closer to twenty. The video runs for about five minutes so 48 breaths would take around ten for each side, twenty minutes one asana, stunning, it's an asana that thinks it's a mudra.

First time practicing on tatami.... Springy.

BHARADVAJASANA

from Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makaranda Part II

Technique:

1. Sit on a piece of soft folded cloth, with one leg stretched straight in front, and the other leg folded back at the knee, so that the foot is close and by the side of the buttocks, the sole of the foot upturned, toes stretched and the back of the foot touching the cloth. The knees should be as close as possible. The foot of the leg, stretched in front, should be upright, to the ground and not inclined sideways. The body should be erect and the spinal column stretched-chin lock.

2. Bend the stretched leg (say the right) at the knees and bring the right heel very near the umbilicus. The right knee should touch the ground. Both the knees should be as near to each other as possible.

3. The right hand is taken round the back to catch hold of the toes of the right leg. The palm to touch the back of the foot.

4. The palm of the left hand is placed on the cloth below the right thigh. The hand should be stretched and not bent at the elbow. The left wrist should touch the outside of the thigh.

5. Twist trunk to face front. Turn the head, so that the chin is over the left shoulder.

6. Take deep inhalations and exhalations with holding in of breath and holding out of

breath. Both types of kumbhakam are necessary. The total rounds of deep breaths may be slowly increased as practice advances, from 12 to 48.

7. Repeat with the other leg.

Note: This is contra indicated to those who have had abdominal operation.

"Sage Bharadwaja is another renowned vedic rishi. He is considered to be a great vedic scholar and teacher. An episode found in the Kaataka portion of the Taittiriya sakha of Yajur Veda would be of interest. Bharadwaja was so much concentrating in studying the vedas that even as the life was coming to an end he was still continuing with his studies. Indra, the Lord appeared before him and reminded him that it was almost the end of his life. He told Bharadwaj, “Bharadwaja!! If I give you another human life what would you like to do?” Back came the reply, “I will study the Vedas further”. Upon that, the Lord asked him to look at the three huge mountains the Lord created and took out from each one of them a handful of earth and placed them before Bharadwaja and said, “These mountains represent the three vedas and the three handfuls of dirt in front of you represent the vedas you have studied so far. You see the vedas are innumerable and infinite (ananta vai vedaH) and any number of births would not be sufficient to exhaust all the vedas. You try to understand the essence of the vedas, the source of all the Universe, the Brahman.” And Bharadwaja became a great spiritual teacher of the vedas. Again many families carry the Bharadwaja name".from Srivatsa Ramaswami's Dec 2012 Newsletter

Curious how krishnamacharya has us looking over the other shoulder, why? Both Iyengar and Jois would have us look over the back shoulder focusing on the twist. My guess it's to do with the breath, 12-48 breaths with both types of kumbhaka, Krishnamacharya doesn't tend to indicate kumbhaka in twisting postures. Having us keep the head over the front allows us to explore the breath, the kumbhaka, Krishnamacharya often seems to want to turn all asana into mudras.

from Light on Yoga

UPDATE
My 3 hour intro to Vinyasa Krama class at Indaba Yoga Studio (Marylebone, London) has changed to Saturday, November 15th, 1.30-4.30pm http://indabayoga.com/workshops/
If you know anyone in London at that time who might be interested...

2 comments:

Oooo - just tried bharadvajrasana and it's doing something interesting (and I think helpful for me) with the shoulder of the arm wrapped behind, particularly as the movement of the long breath extends into the upper part of the chest.

The direction of the gaze is interesting too. I think the Light on yoga photos have one photo with the gaze over the forward shoulder and one with it over the back shoulder, and in any case the configuration of the legs is different and doesn't have the anchoring action that Krishnamacharia's version has.

This actually sounds like Prashant Iyengar. He has us hold Bharadvajasana for extraordinarily large stretches of time, and repeat again and again exploring different breath patterns. Prashant even uses retentions and Uddiyana kriya as part of the practice, typically teaching the basic poses but with advanced internal work.

In terms of head position. Light on Yoga shows both. However, there were also many more photos that weren't in the book, and in a lot of the twists, different head positions.

A Reminder

from Kalama sutra, translation from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi This blog included.

"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.

"Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them. Buddha - Kalama Sutta